Engraving block



April 10, 1928. 1,665,819

H. FLUMMx-:Ry

ENGRAVING BLOCK Filed Oct. 3l. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I" .10. 77119.11.Fg'gzy INVENTOR:

ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. l0, 1928.

@MCE Hausse QF LAWREME rviser?, Meer@ COUNTY, INDIANA- ENGRAVINQ isnocx.

Application filed October 31, 1924. Serial No. 747,096.

This invention relates to improved holding ymeans whereby' articles maybe held or vcarried in various positions to be worked upon by engraversorothers, the invention having reference more particularly 'to' ranapparatus 'adapted' for holding jewelry or other articles eitherstationarily or movably and under control ofan engraver or otherartisan.

An objectof the invention is to provide a generally improved engravingblock which shall be of such construction as to be adapted Ato holdarticles conveniently' and securely to be engraved or lotherwise workelupon7 especially 'various Aarticlesl of different sizes and shapes, andwithout requiring a cu'mhersome lot of detachable devices Lrequiringtiresome care-taking.

Another object is to provide an engraving block of the above-mentionedcharacter which shall be of such construction as`tosecui-elyhold"articlesy either sta'tionfarily or movably and permit of either-.free rotary movement or slow" retarded movement, and which shall bereadily adjustable to the needs ofthe er'igrn'fer.'y

V further'objectis to provide an adjustable engraving block whichshallhave' a removable table to securely carry anV article and shall bevadapted to be secured'ifn a small lathe chuck to permit thearticlelto'he,vor'kedupon in alathe'. i

'.X still"furtherlobject is to provide improvements in Vvarious partsand valso provide new :ulvan'tageous paijts orfeatures' in engravingblocks. to the end that "important A*advantages l shall 'be obtained' by"thel engraver. jeweler o r other'artisansworking on small articlesrequired to Ybeheld lwith precision. i vlilith the above-mentioned andother objects iu view, the invention consists in :an en; ving blockhaving various novell fealurcs r`and improved y*parts affording improvedfacilities whereby a large variety of articles may be securely held tobe worked upon. particularly relating to reversibility and adjustabilityof various parts; and,`t-he invention consistsv also further in variouslnovel parts and in the combinations andarrangementsof parts ashereinafter particularly described and further defined'in the claimsAappendedhereto. AReferring to the drawings,-Figure,1 is a top planshowingthe major portion of the improved engraving block, `partiallybroken away to disclose improved internal features thereof; Fig. 2 is'anenlarged fragmentary sectional elevation approximately on the planeetthe' line'II-Il. in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an clevation'of ythe engravingblock, minus a number of the lremovable parts thereof; Fig. 4 is asectional' elevation of the engraving block, as' on the line lI-IL .inwhich di'tlfer'ent' applications of removable parts are`seen; Fig. 5 isa side View of one ofthe 'adjustable and periuissibly removable parts otthe apparatus; Fig. 6 isa sectional elelvation approximately on the lineVI--VI in Figp'l, in which a nuu'iber of removable parts areA omitted;Fig. 7 is a. side view of one/of the removable parts ofthe apparatus,fon an enlarged scale; Fig. 8 is a fragmen- `ltary` elevation partiallyin section on' the l'inc Vlll-Vlll on 1; Fig. 9 is a top plan of one ofthe improved vise jaw heads on an enlarged scale;Fig. 10 is a horizontalsectionof'the jaw head, as on the line X-X in Fig. 1 5 Fig. 11 is anelevation` of one lof the r'imprt'ived holding studs or pins com-.prised in the invention, being on an enlarged scale; Fig. 12 is asectional elevation ofthe improved stud; Fig. 13 isv an' end view' of ahalf-nut type of a controlling head 'embraced inl the apparatus; 14 isafside elevation of Fig. 9; Fig. 1 5 is a section on the Ylinie XV-XVon'Fig. 9; Fig. 16 is a section on the line"XVl-XVI on Fig'. 9; andFig.'r17`is a fragmentary elevation vin which parts shown in Fig. 3 areinverted t0 veffect adjustability.

' In the'variou's figures of the drawings similar reference charactersindicate corresl'iondin'gl elements or features of constructio'nVreferred to hereinafter in detail.

A; preferable embodiment of the invention comprises a'foundation partwhich is adapted to be supported upon a work bench Yor'taliilewhether or'not the surface thereof is ai trueplan'e, and preferably thefoundajtion 4is composed mainly of'thick leather 'comprising a' verticalannular wall 1 having av metallicl stiflening liner 2 therein, the topof fthe' wall having an vinwardly extending annular ledge 3 integralthcrewi th. 'The' botl"tom of the wall being'slightly yielding tounevenness of bench surface permits the wall t'rest irmlyin place. Aheavy metallic lbaseV 4 is provided which has a spherical bottom portion5 and a flat top 6, 'the bottom portion being adaptedto adjustably reston the ledge 3 and permit noiseless tilting movement of the base on itsfoundation, the base being hennspherical and having an axial bore 7therein and also a screw threaded hole 8 extending from the curvedbottom portion to the bore, a set-screw 9 being arranged in the hole tosecurely fastena bearing case l() which closely'. but removably fittedinto the bore. The case 10 has a cen tral bore 11 and a screw-threadedhole 12 extending Vthrough the wall of the case to the bore in which aset-screw 13 is fitted, a plurality of the set-screws being preferred.The case has also a ball cup or race 14 at one end of the central boreand a ball cup or race l5 in the opposite end of the bore. Adjacent tothe periphery of the base a socket 16 is accurately drilled from theflat face G to receive a loch screw or pin. The case 10 can be adjustedlongitudinally in its bore or may be `arranged in relatively invertedposition1 permitting the base to bo inverted and to restvery solidly onits flat face G.

An improved heavy metallic table or bed plate 17 is provided which hasflat lower and upper faces, and the tableA is provided with an axle thathas a head portion 18 rigidly secured centrally to the lower portion ofthe table, the axle having a body portion 19 eX- tending lthrough thebore ll and provided with a conical bearing portion 2O that is supportedupon bearing balls 21 arranged in the cup 14. A conical collar 22 isscrewed onto the end of the axle, so as to be adjustable thereon, and isguided by bearing balls 23 arranged in the cup or race 15. A lockingscrew 24 is screwed into the collar to loclr it to thc axle andpreferably has a. centering Joint 25 ada )ted to be seated in.

the center cavity left in the end of the axle after having been turnedin a lathe, so that the locking screw actsy as a brace to steady thebearing cone 22 in its position on they axle. Ordinarily the axle is notengaged by the set-screw '13 but is free to rotate in the bearing case.The table has a vertical guide hole 26 adjacent to the edge thereof thatmay be brought into alignment with the soclret'ltl, and the upperportion of the hole has screw threads 27 therein. A locking pin 28 isfitted into the hole 26 and has screw threads 29 on its upper portionthat are fitted to the threads 27, the portion of the pin 28 at thelower end of the threads thereon being stopped against the threads inthe hole to prevent the pin from being moved upward obstructively beyondthe top face of the table. The lower end of the pin 28 has a pointedportion 3() adapted to guide the pin into the socket 16, and the upperend of the pin has a screw driver slot 31 therein whereby the pin screwmay be turned in the pin hole.

The upper portion of the table has a guideway 32 that is coextensivewith the diameter of the table and has a groove constituting a shaftbearing 33 centrally in the bot-*tom thereof, the bearing beinghalf-round and coextensive with the remainder ofthe guideway. Theguideway is formed partially by parallel guide bars 84 and 35composed'of upper portions of the table with a slot space between them.An improved operating and controlling shaft 36 is provided that isapproximately as'long as the guideway and it has two collars 37 and 38thereon spaced apart on opposite ends of the middle portion of theshaft.The shaft has reversely pitched screw threads 39 and 40 that aredirectly supported in the shaft bearing groove to rotatably guide theshaft. For precisely maintaining the operating shaft in position forcorrect operation the table has two aligning bores 41 and 42 therein eX-tending from the periphery of the table to the guideway at right anglesto the latter, and two cylindrical plugs 43 and 44 are inserted in thebores reslrbectively, the inner ends of the plugs having forks 45 and 46respectively that are closely fitted between the collars 37' and 38 onopposite ends of the shaft, the forks together closely embracing theshaft. rlhe outer ends of the plugs are flush with the periphery of thetable and have screw driver slots 47 and, 48 thereinv respectively,whereby to correctly bring the forks to proper position when insertingthe plugs which are very closely fitted into thev bores and are securedin place by means of' set-screws 49 and 50 arranged in the underv sideof the table and engaging the plugs respectively. The plugs may beadjusted by slightly moving them inwards to compensate for wear inconnection with the shaft. The shaft 36 Vis provided with an improvedremovable cranlr for rapid operation, and to this end the shaft 3G Ahasa. bore 51 extending from each end thereof and. a screw driver slot 52in the end of the shaft. The cranlr has a stem 53 removably arranged inthe bore 51, one end of the stem having a head 54 thereon that hasjlugs55 to be entered in thel screw driver slot for rotating the shaft 3G.The head has a crank arm 56 rigidly secured thereto. The opposite end ofthe stem 58 is adapted to be used as a screw driver to manipulate thevarious screws comprised in the apparatus.

Two improved controlling heads 57 and 58 are provided which are of thehalf-nut type adapted to slide in the guideway 32. and each hassaddle-like contact with the upper portion of the shaft 36, the underportion of the head having screw thread portions 59 thereincorrespondingl to and engaging the screw threads 39 and 40 respectively.The heads have central portions extending upward between the guide bars34 and 35 and the tops of the heads have vertical cylindrical posts 60and G1 rigidly connected thereto, respectively. Two liners 62 and 63arearrangedbetween the controlling heads,

and, the guide bars 3l and 35 respectively ,and are provided withadjusting screws 64 iand Garespectively that are appropriately -lcompensate for wear.

,ends, the main portion ot the plate being .F or the purpose ofexcluding lilings and rother matter troni the shaft 36 and otheroperating parts, a vbridge plate 66 is secured at opposite ends thereoiIto the top ot the table l'above the plugs 43 and la and extends over thegiiideway interniediately of its slightly higher than the top ot thetable, and two cover plates 67 and 68 to cooperate withy the bridgeplate are arranged to slide ,upon the top ot the table and cover theremaining portions of the guideway and portions ot' the controllingheads that operate between the guide bars 34 and 35, the plates lhavingapertures receiving the posts (it) and 6ll respectively whereby theplates are moved, and permitting` ready removal ot' the plates to oilparts beneath, the inner ends ot the plates extending under thehridgeplaie GG` to continuously cover the gui dew ay.

Two improved metallic jaw bodies G9 and 70 are provided which arepreferably cylin-` drical, and each body has a socket bore 7l in itslower portion, the bodies being interchangeable on the posts G0 and 6l,the posts being received into the socket bores respectively aiidrotatably supporting the bodies with the top of the posts in contactwith the bottoni ot' the socket bore. Each jaw body has a set-screw 72in one side thereof that may be tor-ced into engagement with theadjacent post to prevent rotation of the jaw body when set as may bedesired on the post. The upper portion of each jaw body has an upwardlyfacing shoulder 73 which preferably is formed by cutting away a portionof the side ot' the body to constitute a recess, the shoulder and theback 74 of the recess preferably being inclined, and the back of therecess above the shoulder has a siinilaily inclined tongue 75 thereon,the side edges of the tongue being under cut to constitute paiallel dovetail connection portions.

A pair of improved similar jaw heads are provided that are adapted to beinvertibly connected to the jaw bodies, the heads coinprising bodymembers 7G and 7 6. each having on one side a pair of guide ribs 77 and7S adapted to slidingly engage the sides of the tongue on the jaw body.the ribs extending trom the body at an inclination towards one anotherand holding the body of the head in place as it rests upon the shoulder73. Each jaw head body has a novel head port-ion 79 thereon in which area suitable vnumber of socket bores 8O to receive holding studs orI pinsas may be required, and the ythe bore.

opposite ends n.of the head portionhave v`slightly projecting lips 8()and 80 respecofthe head portion, whereby articles may be gripped whenthe pair of jaws are `forced kapart,,said upper portions being'curved toconstitute segments ot circles. Each vhead portionhas` also a suitablenumber of relatively smaller socket `bores 82 that extend entirelythrough the head portion, andthe middle ol thc l'ront ot the headportion preferably has a groove 83 thereiirto receivev portions otarticles when clamped between the jaws. Stud pinsSl, 84', are providedwhich are arranged in the bores 82 and have each ay slot 85 in its lowerportion, permitting diametrical expansion ot thepiii so as tofrictionally hold the pin tightly in Vylllie normal upperend olE eachpin has a small lip 86 thereon produced by cutting a, groove in the pinadjacentV to its top. lllhen not in use the pins are pushed down so asto not project 'l'roin the top of the head portion, but may be readilyYpushed up a suitable, distance when required tor use.

lelie jaw heads are provided also with removable and interchangeableholding' studs or pins, some being characteristically ditiierj ent fromothers to atord a wide range of tacilitie s, and one 'form ofconstruction theieotl .oniprises a stud body 87 having a novel `headthat extends over beyond one side of the body at an inclination and hasaprojccting ac nte angled lip 88, theopposite side ot the head having aninclined lace 89 and an acute angled projection 9() at the bottom ot thetace, the extreme top oi the head havlingan acute angled lip 9ltorinedby undercutting so as to leave a small supporting shoulder below thelip. The stud body has screw .threads 92 thereon extending from thebottom endv thereot'. A sleeve 93 is arranged to slide over the body andhas a tlai'ed upper portion to receive the head of the stud, the top otthe flared portion being inclined to .correspond approximately to theinclination ot thel tace 89, constituting an adjustable rest member onwhich articles vmay be supported whilebeing gripped by the lips orprojections on the head. The

ybody 94lhas a longitudinal groove 95 to receive a spline, a nut 96 isarranged on the body against the sleeve 98 to operate in connection withthe screw threads, and a spline 97 is arranged in the groove and extendsthrough the nut, the spline having a lug 98 thereon that is anchored inthe sleeve 93 and also a lug 99 engaging the lower side of the nut, sothat the sleeve shall be moved with the nut. The stud has a base sleeve10() screwed onto it and suitably secured against rotation, preferablyby means of a lock pin 101, the base sleeve having a true smoothextei'ior adapted to be removably inserted into "may require.

either one of the sockets 80 to be firmly supported therein. Another'form of holding stud or pin which in some cases is advantageously usedin association with that above described, comprises a cylindrical body102 adapted to be. removably supported in one of the sockets 80. oneside' of the body having a concavity 103 adjacent to one end of theybody whereby an acute angled lip `104 is provided, the opposite side ofthe body having a relatively shorter sharp lip 105 at the end of thestud and also another lip 106 adjacent thereto. Slightly farther awayfrom the. end of the stud one side thereof has a recess llli'to receivea poi'- tion of an article that may be gripped by the projections orlips 105 and 10G or either one of them. The body has also a relativelylarger concavity 108 adjacent to the opposite end thereof, an acuteangled lip 109 slightly back from the end of the stud, another grippinglip110 at-the extremity of the stud to grip an article that may besupported above the projection 109, the opposite side of the stud havinganother lip 111 formed by under-cutting so that the. lip does notproject beyond the side of the stud but may be entered into a socket S0.

' Each jaw head body 76 and 70 has two wings 112 and 11.3 adjacent tothe head portion 79, being on the side of the body opposite to lthat onwhich the ribs 77 and T8 are located, the wings converging each towardsthe other and between which a face block 114 is dove-tailed and heldwith its butt end against the head portion 79, the jaw head beinginverted to make use of the face block, the latter being composed ofwood or other suitable non-metallic substance not likely to mar articlesthat may be held between theV two blocks.

-ln practical use the apparatus will be op* erated or manipulatedsomewhat similarly to well known engraving blocks, but more effectivelyand with great precision, and the artisan will readily make such changesin adjustments and change holding devices in the jaw heads as will befound. to be most advantageous. In sonic cases the articles to be workedon are clamped between the gripping holding devices, in other cases thejaws are 'forced apart to securely hold articles. Face blocks 114 may beprovided in variety and may be readily reshaped as varying needs Y Thentilting the base 4 on its foundation the movement is smooth andnoiseless and the base is not liable to be moved accidentally. In somecases the bear'- ing case 10 is withdrawn with the table from the base,the set-screws are forced against the shaft body 19 to lock the casethereto, after which the case 10 may be secured in a lathe chuck topermit turning the articles that may be held by the jaws mounted on thetable. At times it may be desired that the table rotate freely on thebase; 'at times it may be desired that the table'be frictionallyretarded to prevent too free movement, the table having slightfrictional contact with the top of the base, as seen in Fig. 6, or thetable may bear heavily upon the base so as to prevent accidentalrotation of the table. when closely adjusting the table to the base byadjusting the case 10 in the base the table may be precisely raisedorlowered by ma nipulation of the screw pin 20 on the top of the basewith the screw 9 withdrawn, and when the proper adjustment has been madethe screw 9 is to be forced against the case l0 to lock it in place. Thescrew pin should afterward be released from the base. The various'features of construction and parts of the apparatus will suggest to theartisan many other usesthereof that will be found to be highlyadvantageous and economical.

What is claimed as new is:

1. An engraving block having jaw bodies and jaw heads removablyconnected to the upper portions of the jaw bodies respectively,A the jawheads being inve'rtible on the jaw bodies and provided with holdingdevices adjacent to the tops and bottoms thereof, the bottom devicesbeing different from the top devices.

2.4 An engraving block including a table, two cylindrical vise jawbodies adjustably mounted vertically upon the table, and two jaw headsremovably connected in inclined positions to the upper side portions ofthe jaw bodies respectively, each jaw head being invertible on the jawbody and having a plurality of holder sockets in the normally upperportion thereof.

3. An engraving block having vertical jaw bodies provided each with aninclined stop shoulder and an inclined dove-tail guide tongue above theshoulder, and jaw heads having-'each a pair of dove-tail guide ribs onits back to co-operate with the tongue, the head being invertiblysupported upon the shoulder.

4. An engraving block including vise jaws with sockets therein, and gripdevices comprising bodies having bases removably seated in the socketsrespectively, each of the bodies being` screw-threaded and having a nutto operate thereon, each device including a head inclined on the top ofthe body, and a supporting sleeve on the body connected to the nut andhaving a iiared upper portion to embrace the under portion of the head.

5. An engraving block including a table, controlled heads adjustablysupported in the table and having posts respectively, a pair of jawbodies rotatively adjustable on the tops of the posts respectively andtwo jaw heads removably connected at an inclination to the jaw bodiesrespectively and invertible thereon, each aw head having a plurality ofholding studs removably connected to one end thereof and also anon-metallic face block removably connected to the opposite end thereof.

t. An engraving block including a table, two controlled cylindricalposts adjustably supported by the table, two cylindrical jaw bodieshaving sockets in the lower portions thereof receiving the postsrespectively, the bottoms of the sockets having supporting contact withthe tops of the posts and rotatably supporting the bodies, each jaw bodyhaving a holding tongue on the upper portion of one side thereof, andjaw heads reversibly connected to the tongues on the bodiesrespectively, each jaw head having holder sockets in one end thereof andmeans adjacentto the opposite end thereof to secure a yielding faceblock thereto.

7. An engraving block including a table having a guideway therein, aportion of the guideway being open in the top of the table, ascrew-threaded operating shaft rotatably supported directly on thebottom of the guideway, a pair of controlling heads arranged in theguideway and connected with the operating shaft, each head having a postthereon, a bridge plate secured to the top of the table and extendingover the guideway intermediately of its ends, two cover plates connectedto the posts respectively and extending across t-he remaining portionsof the guideway and also under the bridge plate upon the table, and vicejaws mounted on the posts respectively.

8. In an engraving block, the combination of a jaw body having ashoulder and a guide tongue on one side thereof, and a jaw headremovably supported upon the shoulder and having guide ribs on its backco-operating with the tongue to hold the head on -the shoulder, saidhead having stud-sockets 1n one end and wings to hold a face blockadjacent to the opposite end thereof, the head being invertible on saidshoulder.

9. In an engraving block, the combination of a base, a table rotatablymounted on the base and having a guideway therein extending to the topof the table, an operating shaft guided in the gu'ideway and havingreversely pitched screw threads, two controlling heads movable in theguideway and connected with the screw threads respectively, each headhaving a post thereon, two cover platos connected to and movable by theposts respectively and covering each a portion of the guidewa-y, andvice jaws mounted on the posts above the cover plates respecti vely.

l0. In an engraving block, the combination of a table having a guidewaytherein and two smooth bores at right angles to the guidewa-y andextending to opposite sides of the guideway, an operating shaftrotatably supported in the guideway and having two collars spaced apartand also reversely pitched screw threads extending away from the collarsrespectively, two plugs in said bores respectively and secured therein,the inner ends of the plugshaving forks respectively that eX- tendbetween the collars in guiding contact therewith, a pair of controllingheads arranged in said guideway and connected with said screw threadsrespectively, and vice jaws connected with the controlling headsrespectively.

11. In an engraving block, the combination, with a table and vise jawson the table having sockets in the top thereof, of a plurality of studscomprising each a base sleeve to be supported in a socket, a stud bodysecured in the base member and having screw threads thereon, said bodybeing provided with a head that extends over beyond one side of the bodyat an inclination, the upper end of the inclined portion having an acuteangled lateral lip thereon, the head having an inclined top face andgripping lips at the top and the bottom of the inclined top face, and asupporting sleeve adjustable on the stud body and having a flared upperportion to receive said head, the sleeve being provided with anadjusting nut connected with said screw threads.

In testimony whereof, I aix my signature on the 27th day of October,1924.

HORACE PLUMMER.

